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"A portrait of Audrey, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Exploring at your Nanny K & Da's house. You go from room to room, giggling and singing. Your favourite rooms are the main bathroom and their bedroom. We often find you staring at the rings on Nanny K's bedside table, you know you cannot touch but you will happily look for as long as your restless toddler legs will let you.

It has been terribly cold in our neck of the woods, seeing Chloe splash in the water with that perfect baby belly made me smile.

- Joining in with Jodi and a world of talented bloggers -

Excerpts From My Journal: The Beginning

I bought a journal (inspired by the beautiful Belinda and Ronnie) and it has been sitting on my bedside table for the past few weeks willing me to write. I stare at it before I go to bed but I have not had the courage to pick it up. Last night I picked it up.. I felt its weight in my hand, I flicked the course pages to the beginning and I started to write.


"I thought of you today, in truth I think of you most days I just don't admit it to myself. You sneak into my head and I find myself wondering what could have been if the decisions you made had been different. It has been so long since I have seen your face, since I have heard your voice but I remember you, I remember the feeling of you. I tell myself it doesn't matter, that my heart doesn't break for you, but it does. You don't know who I am, you don't know the person I have become, I am so different now. My hands are those of a mother, a wife. There are lines around my eyes. There are scars on my body from life's adventures and there are memories, memories you are not apart of but you could have been. I will close my eyes soon, I will sleep and the memory of you will fade. I am naive to think it won't return, it will sneak up on me like it did today and the torment of emotions will fill my body once again."

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"A portrait of Audrey, once a week, every week, in 2013"

This is one of your many concentration faces, lips pursed and eyes on the job. "Steekahs" are serious business to you so when a care package was delivered from Queensland from your Ninnie, full of stickers, you could not wait to get creative with them.

Bella IS beautiful!

- Joining in with Jodi and a world of talented bloggers -

NAIDOC Week

"NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life."

One thing I love about being a parent is the way it has opened my eyes and my heart to new experiences. I will admit (embarrassingly) that I had very little knowledge of the indigenous people of Australia and their story. I first heard about NAIDOC week while watching NITV with Audrey and thought what a wonderful way for our entire family to learn and embrace the indigenous people of our beautiful country. The past week in our household has been about celebrating the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We spent the week cooking traditional food (minus the grubs), listening to indigenous music, telling dreamtime stories, making our own aboriginal art and reading about the history of our great land.
I must say I was saddened and frustrated at the lack of resources available, I searched every bookstore in our local area to find dreamtime and cooking books only to come home empty handed. Finally I contacted the National Indigenous Television channel and the wonderful (and very knowledgeable) Margaret put me onto some fabulous sites to purchase books, find recipes and learning tools for children. We have loved every minute of our adventure into the history of Australia and we are already planning how to celebrate next year and hopefully go to some of the amazing events.

Resouces :
http://www.naidoc.org.au
https://www.facebook.com/magabalabooks?hc_location=stream
http://www.nitv.org.au
http://www.yijalayala.bighart.org/digital-projects/ngurrara/
http://australian.food.com/recipe/kangaroo-casserole-235964
http://peapillybean.com.au/2010/04/30/how-to-make-indigenous-australian-paint/

 

 

Making Friends With Jam.

I woke early, made my coffee and with the morning sun pouring in our kitchen window I started to bake. When our frog woke she popped her head into the kitchen and pulled her chair over to help. We sang as we prepared for our day and when finished I could see she was so proud of the food we had made together.

You may remember a few weeks ago I spoke about a lovely little friend Audrey had made at school, Giselle. Well it turns out they do like raspberry jam and today we all ventured down to the park for a picnic and some fun. At first the girls seemed slightly confused to see each other outside of school. We had some tears over a ball and a pirate ship (Audrey is still learning the concept of sharing) but within no time they were exploring the park together, singing and dancing in the rotunda and playing 'dead beetles'. It was a lovely morning with delicious food and wonderful company, I am sure there will be plenty more play dates for these two little girls.

Chai Spiced Almond & Strawberry Cookie recipe can be found here.